The invention concerns a two row angular-contact roller bearing, particularly a ball bearing or a tapering-cylinder bearing, wherein at least one race ring is axially divided and wherein each row of rolling elements has a separator or cage that interlocks axially with the adjacent separator in the vicinity of the axially divided ring.
Two row angular-contact roller bearings with at least one race ring that is axially divided are often highly desirable because they are easy to assemble and install. Since their two separators are usually of one-piece together, the axially divided race rings combine with the rest of the bearing to constitute a single assembly. Such a design, however, often has the drawback that the two rows of balls or rollers are not free to rotate independently of each other. This has resulted in development of bearing embodiments like those disclosed in German Published Application 2 449 194 or French Published Application 2 308 013. The two rows of rollers in these embodiments can rotate independently. But eliminating the ring destroys the integrity of the assembly unless the shoulder, which is no longer needed on the outer ring to transmit the load, is retained. Another bearing embodiment is disclosed in German Petty Patent DE-GM 1 655 634. Its connector, however, is complicated and the additional component is difficult to install.